How it grew: When CEO Rob Ferrino founded the company, he saw a niche: specializing in small-scale, complex building projects. Now Madison manages multimillion-dollar developments for clients such as Mercy Housing and the city of Chicago. Another area of emphasis: green construction.

In 2010, Madison completed the Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center in Willow Springs, a LEED Gold-certified building. This year it is coordinating a $40 million project for East-West University to build a 22-story student housing high-rise with a "vertical quad" to allow in sunlight.

"Being such a green sustainable company, that's one of the things that has projected our growth," Mr. Ferrino says. "Ten years ago, nobody cared. But now no one can afford not to."

Fast fact: The company is building a tilapia farm and a hydroponic garden in its headquarters.